Student CEC Spotlight :: Professional Portfolios
CEC Today, Vol. 4 No. 6, January 1998
Professional portfolios are becoming increasingly popular in the job market. In fact, many undergraduate colleges and universities are requiring all education majors to develop one before graduation. A word to the wise, start developing a professional portfolio NOW!!
Having a professional portfolio is important for many reasons. It is a handy example of your work and beliefs about education. It is a convenient place to store important information about your teaching abilities. And, it will help you secure the perfect job.
The Perfect Portfolio
What to include in a portfolio is an individual decision. However, here are some guidelines to bear in mind when developing a portfolio. First, remember a portfolio is a yearbook of your teaching abilities. If you have not begun collecting a file of impressive course work or lessons, look through your materials and compile them NOW--even if you're a first-year education major!!
What to Include
A portfolio should begin with a table of contents, which makes it easy for the interviewer to flip to the pages she feels are most important. It should also include a letter of introduction, which is similar to a cover letter. Include the purpose of the portfolio and state career objectives here. Your resume is also a helpful tool. Everyone on the interviewing team may not have seen it, and it serves as a quick reference for those who do not have a copy handy. Also include letters of recommendation and formal evaluations.
Other Items to Include in Your Portfolio
Educational Philosophies
Think carefully about your professional philosophies and write them down. The most important one is your personal philosophy of education and learning. It's a good idea to have a hard copy of this, as this question will undoubtedly be asked in an interview. You should also consider including your philosophies of discipline and assessment.
In fact, you could include an entire section on assessment. This would be an excellent place for you to write a summary of assessment techniques you are familiar with. Also indicate by list or description all the formal tests you have used. Be sure to display original assessments.
Professional Growth
This section demonstrates your initiative to further your education. You could demonstrate this through book reviews and journal summaries. Or, include brochures and/or materials from CEC's convention and summaries of sessions you attended.
A Piece on Classroom and Behavior Management
This is essential to a professional portfolio. Share personal strategies and cite specific examples of difficult classroom situations.
Visuals
Pictures of students working on lessons and of their original work are great ways to catch an employerís attention. Often, a prospective employer will not read everything in a portfolio, but neat, colorful visuals are an easy way to draw positive attention to personal attributes. Adding interesting captions to these visuals will also draw the prospective employerís attention. In addition, include samples of original teaching materials, including games, their pieces, and flashcards.
Case Studies
Case studies that show student learning problems and the teaching strategies and materials you used are an important component of a portfolio. Include special lessons or learning packets you developed. Include a minimum of one or two units. This is where all your creative energy can shine through!! Your case studies provide an excellent opportunity to demonstrate teaching capabilities to a prospective employer with all those excellent visuals.
Using Your Portfolio
Now that everything is in place and looking great, here are a few tips for using the portfolio during an interview.
Bring the portfolio to all interviews--Not all prospective employers will want to see it, but it is better to have one and not be asked to see it than appear unprepared. If an employer does not ask to see your portfolio, you can always highlight one or two items in it in response to a question. Choose items that show your best teaching practices and will be most beneficial in securing the position.
Be prepared to leave extra samples of your work
The team may not have time to look at your portfolio during the interview or may want to examine your work more closely. Have some additional copies of your best work that you can leave behind.
Know your portfolio inside and out
While it is not meant to be read from during the interview, you can use your portfolio as a reference. For example, when asked to name formal tests you used, you could refer to that page. Make sure you can open to the correct page quickly and not waste time looking for a certain page.
Update your portfolio regularly
Like resumes, portfolios should constantly be changed and updated. Add new materials as you become more experienced. Try keeping all your materials in a three-ring binder, so you can make additions and deletions with ease. Also, as time passes, your beliefs about education will change, and your portfolio should reflect this.
Prospective employers are requiring professional portfolios more and more. Be sure to have one, and remain on the cutting edge of the job market.
Margaret Heskett is a student at the University of Maine, Farmington. She is a member of CEC Chapter #964
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